


Three Words

by Dandy



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Multi, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-20 18:57:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17028183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dandy/pseuds/Dandy
Summary: “Does it really matter as long as we know Haru loves us without him saying it?” A pause. “You do know he loves us, don’t you?”“Of course,” snapped Rin, a bit too loud. This time it was him continuing before Rei could say anything. “You and I say it all the time, so I don’t get why he can’t. It really doesn’t bother you at all?”“Not really.”“Well, it bothers me!”





	Three Words

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Tumblr on April 20th, 2015.

“You guys are back late today.”

It was just an observation, given from where Haru sat at their small kitchen table, eating mackerel and pineapple like he did every morning. Rin and Rei were slipping off their shoes from their morning jog, both of them sweaty from the mid-summer air. For them a stack of waffles and some fruit was waiting, getting cool in their neglect.

“Rin took us on a new path and got us lost,” said Rei dryly, walking in and turning on the sink to splash water on his face. Rin huffed from the doorway, folding his arms.

“For the last time, we weren’t  _lost_. I just got a little turned around.”

“That’s the same as being lost.” Rei dried his face, conveniently missing the dirty looks thrown in his direction.

“I made waffles,” Haru commented, not caring much about the argument. Rin and Rei were always bickering about something or other, and Haru had learned very early on in their relationship that it was a form of flirting between them.

“Thank you, Haruka, but I don’t have time today.” Rei leaned down and pressed a kiss to his temple before turning to move toward their small apartment bathroom. “ _Somebody_  got us lost and made us late.”

“We weren’t  _lost_!” Rin protested again, following Rei. Sensing that this was probably going somewhere interesting, Haru finished the last of his fish and followed.

Fifteen minutes later, they emerged, Rei more flushed than he had been when he’d returned from running. Rin wore a big grin, and Haru had a small, satisfied smile of his own.

“You two don’t have to follow me into the shower  _every_  time,” said Rei, staggering into the bedroom to find clothes to wear, toweling at his hair as he went.

“We’re saving water and energy that way. Just think of it as our civil duty,” said Rin, similarly hunting for clothes. The two of them got dressed for the day, while Haru pulled the shirt and boxers he’d been wearing back on. He wasn’t due at work until later, and he liked the t-shirt. He was pretty sure it was Rin’s, originally.

“I’m going to be late to my first class,” moaned Rei, shoving books into his bag, and Rin rolled his eyes.

“I’ll drive you if it’ll make you stop whining, you big baby,” said Rin, grabbing his keys from the nightstand, and Rei glared at him.

“Good! This is your fault anyway, so take responsibility.”

“You’re a real pain, you know that, Rei?” Rin looked over at Haru. “Are you not going to help me?”

“You  _did_  make him late.”

“Unbelievable.” Rin shook his head. “I can’t win.”

“Sorry we couldn’t eat your waffles,” said Rei, ignoring Rin’s continued rant to kiss Haru goodbye. “Love you.”

“Mm.” Haru grabbed one of Rei’s books off the edge of the bed, holding it out. “Don’t forget this one.”

“Oh, thank you, Haruka.”

He headed out toward Rin’s old car, pushing the book into his bag. Rin followed, Haru trailing behind.

“I’m working the closing shift tonight. I’ll leave something for you to heat up when you get home.”

“Thanks.” Rin stopped in the doorway, turning to face Haru. “You’re a pain too, but I guess I still love you.”

“Mm.” Haru tilted his head up to kiss him. “See you tonight.”

Rin hesitated in the doorway, like he was going to say something else, but in the end he only gave a parting, “See you,” as he turned and followed Rei out the door.

* * *

“Does it bother you that Haru never says it?”

“Says what?” asked Rei, flipping through some pages in his notebook. Riding in Rin’s car at least gave him an opportunity to study in peace, without noisy bus riders around him - well, except when his boyfriend decided to get chatty.

“You know.” Rin hesitated, not quite looking at Rei. “I love you.”

“Oh, that.” Rei sounded unconcerned, which only made Rin scowl at the windshield. “He shows he loves us in plenty of ways. I don’t see why he has to say it.”

“Because it’s nice? Because it’s what normal couples-” He winced. He’d been trying to stop using the word “couple” ever since he and Haru brought Rei into the relationship, but sometimes the turn of phrase still snuck its way back in. “Because it’s what people in relationships normally do.”

“Well, for one, we’re not a couple,” said Rei, and Rin winced again. Before he could apologize, Rei went on. “Two, we’re hardly normal by any standard, I think. And three, does it really matter as long as we know he loves us without him saying it?” A pause. “You do know he loves us, don’t you?”

“Of course,” snapped Rin, a bit too loud. This time it was him continuing before Rei could say anything. “You and I say it all the time, so I don’t get why he can’t. It really doesn’t bother you at  _all_?”

“Not really.”

“Well, it bothers  _me_!”

He didn’t realize he was tearing up until he blinked wetness out of his eyes. He hadn’t said anything about it, but it was something that had been bothering him for a long time, ever since he first drummed up the courage to say those three words himself. While Rei had enthusiastically returned the sentiment, Haru had only kissed him. Kissed him a  _lot_ , but something about the lack of verbal acknowledgement bothered him.

“I just wish he’d  _say_  it every now and then, you know?” Rin muttered after a moment of silence, voice defeated. He knew Rei was right, he knew he was acting ridiculous, but it was how he felt.

He stole a glance at Rei, saw him looking down at his notes, and for a moment Rin thought he had ignored his emotional outburst completely. But then he realized Rei wasn’t really reading anything; instead, he seemed to be considering something.

The moment of silence stretched on for awhile, before Rei finally said, “He does say it.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, in the things he does, right?”

“No, I mean… he really  _says_  it,” Rei clarified, looking up at Rin. “I didn’t want to tell you, because I didn’t know it was bothering you so badly, but then knowing you I really should have suspected-”

“Rei, what are you talking about?” Rin raised an eyebrow, before a look of hurt crossed his face. “You mean he’s said it to you and not-”

“No! No, no, that’s not it.” Rei shook his head. “He doesn’t know… Let me start at the beginning.”

“I’m listening.”

“A few weeks ago, I couldn’t sleep. I was trying, I had my eyes closed and was focusing on breathing evenly, and I was trying not to toss too much since I was in the middle. So I guess he thought we were both asleep, and he said it. “I love you,” just like that.”

Rin gaped at him, stunned. “He… said it while we were asleep?”

Rei nodded. “Yes! I’ve caught him a few times now. He always says it to both of us.” Rei adjusted his glasses. “I think he just feels self-conscious saying it straight to us. I mean, he always has said that verbal displays of emotion are embarrassing.” Rei lowered his hand from his frames, looking back at Rin with an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything. I suppose mentioning it out loud felt like it would break the spell.”

“…I guess I can understand that.” Rin smiled a little. “Still, I can’t believe all this time…” He giggled, though it sounded a little choked up. “That bastard…”

“Just pretend to be asleep tonight, and you’ll get to hear him.” Rei bent back over his notes again. “But try not to alert him that we know, okay? I don’t want him getting embarrassed and stopping.”

“I thought it didn’t bother you if he doesn’t say it,” Rin teased, and Rei blushed a bit.

“I… admit I like to hear it, too. It helps me sleep when I’m having trouble.” He shrugged. “And it’s just nice to have the confirmation.”

“Yeah. Thanks for telling me.” Rin stopped the car, unlocking the doors. “By the way, we’re here.”

“Oh!” Rei jumped a little, and started gathering his things to get out. “Thank you, Rin. Have a good day at work.”

“Have a good day in class.” They leaned over the gear shift to kiss. “And hey, Rei? I love you.”

Rei smiled as he stepped down onto the sidewalk, bright and happy. “I love you too, Rin.”

* * *

That night, Rin lay as still as he could, as still as he hoped he did in his sleep. Normally he passed out pretty quickly, and really it was only excitement keeping him awake that night. He couldn’t wait to finally hear how Haru’s voice sounded when he said the words “I love you.” Would he sound gruff, like he didn’t want to admit it? Or soft and loving like bestowing a secret? Would he be loud, tempting fate that his voice would wake them up and give him away, or would he give a barely there whisper like in all the movies. 

Rin knew he was getting a little carried away, but it was a big moment for him. The anticipation built in his chest, and he was afraid he would give himself away, either by a wayward movement or by getting fed up and asking Haru to get on with it already!

But he didn’t have to wait too long. It was only fifteen or twenty minutes after they turned out the lights that he heard Haru stir against the sheets on Rei’s other side.

“I love you, Rei.”

Rin had to choke back a noise of surprise. Haru’s voice was… well, he’d never really heard it like that. It was the sort of adoration he usually had in his voice when talking about the water, or in rare, quiet moments together where he would say their names in that same tone, but even if it was just the anticipation Rin felt,  _something_  was different.

Haru’s voice just sounded so blissfully in love.

“I love you, Rin.”

Rin tried really, really hard not to react, but it was impossible. Emotions were surging in his chest, as strong as the first time he realized what he felt for Haru, what he felt for Rei, as strong as the day he realized he wanted to be with them forever, as strong as the first time he took the leap and got one “I love you” in return. Now, finally, here was the other one, and Rin couldn’t contain himself.

Biting the blanket didn’t really stop the soft whimper from sneaking out of his throat, as he tried to sniffle as inobtrusively as possible. Tears rolled down into the sheets.

“Rin?” called Haru in surprise, reaching out a hand to touch his arm. “Rin, what’s wrong?”

Rin shook his head, gasping out, “I’m fine, I’m fine.”

“You’re crying,” Haru pointed out. He sounded oddly protective, the way he did when one of them had a bad dream or something bad happened, but as much as he appreciated it, Rin would have preferred the loving sound from earlier back.

Next to him, Rei also stirred, sitting up. Later, Rin would wonder if he was ever asleep at all. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry, it’s just that…” Rin rolled over, rubbing the tears out of his eyes. “I’m just so happy to finally hear you say that, Haru.”

Rei’s eyes widened, and he leaned over Rin, looking dangerous. “What are you doing? I told you not to give us away!”

“I can’t help it!”

“Maybe if you weren’t so quick to cry-”

“Shut up! Besides,  _you_  cry over everything!”

“You both heard me?”

They stopped fighting, looking over at their boyfriend. Haru wasn’t looking at either of them, instead focused on the sheet. Obviously embarrassed.

“Er, well…” Rei chuckled nervously. “I heard you one night, and I wasn’t going to say anything, but Rin was so upset that you hadn’t said it to us, I had to tell him.”

“I wasn’t  _that_  upset,” Rin protested, though the drying tear tracks on his face told a different story. “I just wanted to hear you say it. That’s all.”

“I did, too, actually,” admitted Rei quietly. “I’m sorry.”

Haru looked between the two of them, then moved to sit between their legs, facing them. He reached up to put a hand on both their cheeks, blushing lightly, eyes still trained on the blanket.

“It’s embarrassing,” he muttered after several silent heartbeats, “but… Rin, Rei.” He looked up, meeting their eyes for just a second each before looking back down. “I love you both.”

They stared at him in surprise, before flashing each other a happy look. “Haru!” cried Rin, reaching forward, at the same time Rei cried, “Haruka!” and also reached out. Ignoring his look of surprise, they dragged him forward to lay between them, each snuggling down into his side.

“I love you too, idiot,” huffed Rin, burying his face into Haru’s shoulder. “You don’t have to be embarrassed, that’s stupid.”

“I love you as well, Haruka,” echoed Rei, reaching up to card a hand through his hair. “Please don’t be afraid to tell us how you feel.”

“When I do, you always act like this,” muttered Haru, but he was smiling despite the pink on his cheeks. The two answered him by pressing kisses wherever they could, partly to prolong his embarrassment, mostly because they wanted to.

“Goodnight, Haruka, Rin,” said Rei after a minute of kissing, yawning and settling down on Haru’s left. “I love you.”

“Night,” echoed Rin, settling down on Haru’s right. “I love you guys too.”

Haru waited until they were both asleep before saying his own, “I love yous,” into the quiet night.


End file.
